Volvo Is Launching a Line of Tesla Killers, but You Can't Own One

Meet Polestar, the world's first subscription-based sportscar

By Shari Gab

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19 October 2017

Volvo is one of those — rightfully beloved — brands that sits in the purgatory between your true economy vehicle and your true luxury vehicle. They're safe, smart and sporty, but lack the sex appeal (and price tag) to be ranked among the Audis, Benzes and BMWs of the world.

But that was before Polestar, a new high-end electric brand that will live under the Volvo umbrella.

The first model, the Polestar 1, will be a two-door, four-seat, 600-pony hybrid sedan. It's most distinctive trait is probably the fact that you can’t own one — at least in the traditional sense.

Polestars will be sold 100 percent online via a two- or three-year subscription model. Subscribers can check the cars out online for a monthly fee, which includes pickup, delivery, service maintenance and the option to rent alternate Polestar and Volvo vehicles (should the occasion call for an SUV, for instance).

polestar (5 images)

This whole ordeal is targeted at disrupting Tesla's — specifically, the Tesla 3's — dominance of the luxury electric market.

The subscription bit aside, Volvo has catapulted itself into EV territory with the announcement that all of their vehicles will be electric beginning in 2019. You can expect five completely electric rides to launch before 2021: three Volvos and two Polestars.

The first of which will be the aforementioned Polestar 1. It still has a combustion engine, but also an electric range of 91 miles. Preorders are already rollin’ with an expected mid-2019 delivery window, although, oddly, prices have not yet been announced.